Agreed! I almost forgot what we were discussing. Ok, the RX1 has no built in (little, hold-to-your-eye) viewfinder. That is important to some, not to others. As always. Excellent, let's move on from personal dogma and talk about the camera?

I note Steve Huff is more excited than ever about the RX1. It must be worth a look, I think.

Rather than opinionating about various types of viewfinders, how about people describe their actual experiences with cameras that they have used for a while, not just handled in a shop. My two questions are

Q1. How much if any does the lack of a one-eyed eye-level VF bother you?

Q2. How much if any does the inability to tilt a two-eyed rear-screen VF bother you?

My experience so far is that I can mostly live with a _tiltable_ rear-screen, but I do like that tilt.

Another camera frustratingly close to ideal to seriously take over some duties I still use a dslr for. If it had a good evf and interchangable lenses I would have swollowed the price, sony's on-chip phase detect af would have been nice too.

Got mine yesterday. Didn't want to like it as much as I do. Shockingly good and great high ISO pics.

In fact, if I had to cite one thing about modern cameras that truly pleases me is the ISO range of the units. Just opens up so many possibilities. I read where some say, "I only shoot low ISO". But once you have a few stops in your pocket, new opportunities pop up. Never liked flash, almost impossible to get a good candid shot with it and typically the balance is whacky

Don't mind that the screen is the only EVF. Would be a bigger and more expensive package if it were included. Seems that for every camera there are folks who complain about the small stuff.

My camera was just shipped. I certainly don't mind the built-in viewfinder not being eye level. My E-P1 which I have used for years is basically the same kind of thing. The camera is not for everybody, but that does not mean it is for nobody.

Q1. How much if any does the lack of a one-eyed eye-level VF bother you?

HUGELY. I own a Canon S90 and hate only having a LCD screen.As someone old enough to need reading glasses, LCDs make using a stills camera horrible and un-spontaneous.This aspect is major put off for otherwise capable and interesting cameras like the RX-1/RX-100/DP2-M. The X100/M9 are far more compelling cameras in this class because of their viewfinders.

I just want a modern version of the Rollei35/Minox35/Fuji DLSuper mini. A good sensor, sharp lens and an optical viewfinder. My cash is waiting.

I just want a modern version of the Rollei35/Minox35/Fuji DLSuper mini. A good sensor, sharp lens and an optical viewfinder. My cash is waiting.

Surely that is exactly what the Fuji X100 is? I completely disagree with the other poster who suggested plonking an external viewfinder on an RX1. Too cumbersome. However, the Fuji does tick all your boxes!

i use my wife's x100 almost excusively with the new fangled "ground glass fresnel screen", especially for close up portraits where i want a silent shutter and to keep eye contact with the subject (victim), so this little camera is a dream come true for me. it'll also sits in the camera bag alongside a dslr 50mm, and easily holds its own...

I'm shooting alot on an RX100. It's my first LCD with no viewfinder. I have to open up the lens to compose and then return it to the proper exposure. I think it sucks big time. I would enjoy using it sometimes for live view but just hate not having a viewfinder. BUT.....I love the camera and the great files it produce's. I use a viewcamera cloth alot. Decided not to buy the RX1 because of the view finder issue and for some reason a EVF on the top turns me off.

Currently I have X100 on me at all times. I really like the 35mm view and f/2.0. This Sony sounds like the perfect upgrade, given I will be able to adjust to no viewfinder.How ever, I think and hope that others camera manufactures will be offering similar cameras and the price tag drops a bit.

The new X100s, announced at CES, sounds as if it might be a pretty handy upgrade as well, at half the price.